Apparatus for automatically cleaning and spraying the sole of a shoe



March 20, 1962 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING AND Filed 001,. 27,1960 FIG.2

J. L. PIOTROWSKI ETAL SPRAYING THE SOLE OF A SHOE 4 Sheets-Sheet l wINVENTORS i JOSEPH L. PIOTROWSKI BFg OBERT F. CURRIER ATTO R N EYS March1962 J. L. PIOTROWSKI ETAL 3,025,542

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING AND SPRAYINGTHE SOLE OF A SHOEJOSEPH L. PIOTROWSKI ROBERT F. CURRI ER BY a Mame.

ATTORN EYS March 20, 1962 .1. PIOTROWSKI ETAL 3,025,542

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING AND SPRAYING THE SOLE OF A SHOEFiled Oct. 27, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 nvmvrozes E T -F 21511.???

05 R L Fl (5. 5 BY ATTORNEYS March 20, 1962 .1. L. PIOTROWSKI ETAL3,025,542

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING AND SPRAYING THE SOLE OF A SHOEINVENTORS JOSEPH L. PIOTROWSKI EOBERT F. CURRIER flaw, fW M VW ATTORNEYS3,025,542 APPARATUS FQR AUTDMATKCALLY CLEANING AND SPRAYENG THE SOLE 63FA SHOE Joseph L. Piotrowski, Nashua, and Robert F. Currier,

Manchester, N31, assignors to J. F. McElwain Company, Division ofMelville Shoe Corporation, Nashua,

N.H., a corporation of New Hampshire Filed Oct. 27, 1960, Ser. No.65,499 6 Claims. (Cl. ILL-18.5)

This invention is an apparatus for automatically dusting and applying aliquid finish to the sole of a shoe in manufacture.

It is usual in the shoemaking art, for example, to apply a coat of waxto the sole of a finished shoe in order to protect the leather sole andto enhance its appearance for sales purposes. in the past the wax hasbeen brushed on by hand, an operation which is slow and inefiicient. Onthe other hand, other methods such as spraying have hitherto hadnumerous drawbacks. The wax must not be applied improperly orexcessively to the vamp and it must not be allowed to harden inunslightly accumulation beads on the sole or adjacent parts of theupper. Both of these things happen when hand spraying is attempted, andaccordingly the inefficient brush technique is still used.

Another drawback relating to the general problem of wax application isthat prior to waxing the shoe sole, it is necessary to clean the sole ofleather dust and other foreign matter which would adversely affect theappearance of the finished surface. On composition soles foreign matteris created by the prior manufacturing stesps, such as rounding, edgetrimming, heel and edge scouring, etc. Removal of this dust and foreignmatter is made more difi'icult by the presence of small quantities ofgrease and other substances which cause it to cling to the sole surface.Hence the dust must first be dislodged and then removed. In the case ofleather soles dust is created by prior sole scouring. The nature of theleather dust results in a tendency to cling to the neighboring surfacesso that a brushing and air blasting sequence is necessary for completeremoval.

Accordingly one object of this invention is to provide apparatus whichautomatically applies a coat of wax to shoe soles by a spray techniquewithout excessive application to the upper or vamp and without creatingunslightly accumulation beads on the sole.

Another object of this invention is to provide in conjunction with suchwaxing apparatus a cleaning apparatus to prepare the sole for waxing,whereby two shoemaking steps are performed in one automatic operation.

These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent asthe description proceeds with the help of the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FlG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of our invention with topand side covers removed showing the shoe in its initial or finalposition;

FIG. 2 is a cut-away view showing the spray gun in side elevation;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus with the side cover cut away toshow the shoe at the start of the waxing cycle;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the dust dislodging brush in raisedposition;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the spindle carriage and associated means foractuating the machine cycles;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section on the lines 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a diagram of the pneumatic valve and piston drive arrangement.

Having more particular reference to FIG. 3, there is shown an enclosure10, also shown in FIG. 1, which is ice constructed in such manner as toprovide two operating chambers through which the shoe is transported,entering such enclosure through an opening formed in the end thereofshown in H6. 1.

The first chamber the shoe passes through is the dusting and cleaningarea. FIG. 4 shows a brush 1'2 mounted ori a transverse rod 14 which isheld above the opening formed in the enclosure 10 by brackets 16, 18.The transverse rod 14 is provided at one end with an offset crankelement 19 which is operatively engaged to piston 20 of pneumaticcylinder 22. The transverse rod 14 is free to rotate axially in thebrackets 16, 18, and thus when air is supplied to the cylinder 22, thepiston 20 is extended causing the transverse rod 14 to rotate in thebrackets 16, 3.8 and move the brush 12 from a vertical to substantiallyhorizontal position. This provides a dust dislodging device which may bebrought into contact with the sole of a shoe by controlling the supplyof air to the cylinder 22.

After the dust has been dislodged by the brush 12 it must be removedfrom the sole, and we do this by means of an air jet arrangement shownadjacent to the brush 12 in H6. 3. The air jet comprises a tube 24 withjet openings 26 in its under surface. The tube 24 is arranged inhorizontal position extending across the path of the shoe so that theair jet streams issuing from it sweep across the shoe sole as it passesbeneath. Removed dust is carried out through an exhaust duct 28 locatedbelow the brush and jet area.

FIG. 6 shows in vertical section the carriage used to transport a lastedshoe. The carriage comprises a plate 39 which rides in and out of theoperating chambers on channels 32, 33 in the base member 34 of theapparatus. Extending vertically from the carriage plate 30 is acylindrical support member 36 arranged to extend upwardly from plate 36through an elongated slot indicated at 37 in the base member 34. Alsoemployed is a cylindrical sleeve 33 mounted on the support member 36 andhaving an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter ofthe cylindrical support member 36. Fitted into the upper end of thesleeve 38 and fastened thereto is a spindle member 4t) formed to engagea conventional shoe last. At the lower end of the cylindrical sleeve 38is a protruding step 42 having a beveled face 44-, the protruding step42 being fastened to the sleeve 38. inside the cylindrical sleeve 38 isa coiled compression spring 46 which rests on the upper end 48 of thecylindrical support member 36 and at its other end presses against thelower face 50 of the spindle member 40. This provides a spindle memberassembly which normally keeps the shoe at operating position, but whichmay be depressed against the force of spring 46 to cause the protrudingstep 42 to bring its beveled face 44 into contact with a rounded cap 52affixed to a piston 54 of an air valve 56. The air valve 56 is attachedto the undersurface of the base member 34 of the apparatus in suchfashion that when the transport carriage 3G is at its initial position,pressure exerted on the spindle member 40 will cause the protruding step42 to descend along the cylindrical support 36 in position to cause thebeveled face 44 to engage the cap 52 of the air valve 56. This actionactuates the transport system as will be hereinafter described.

The transport of the lasted shoe on the spindle member 40 is carried outby the movement of the carriage plate 36 along the channels 32, 33. Thechannels 32, 33 are of sufficient length to allow the carriage plate 36to travel from its initial position as shown in FIG. 1 to a wax sprayingposition as shown in FIG. 3. The means used to move the carriage plate30 is a pneumatic cylinder 58, one end of which is shown in bottom viewin MG. 5. The piston 68 of the air cylinder 58 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6,is threaded into a block 62 which is affixed to the underside of thecarriage plate The piston 60 is made secure to the block 62 by the useof a nut 64. The pneumatic cylinder 58 is positioned between thechannels 32, 33 and under the base member 34 of the apparatus in such away that when the piston 60 is fully extended, the carriage plate 30 isin initial and final position, and when the piston 60 is fully withdrawnthe carriage plate 30 is in position for Wax spraying.

FIG. 5 also shows in fragmentary form each of the mechanisms employedfor automatically controlling the sequence of operations. Shown are twoair valves 66, 6'8 with associated pistons 70, 72 with capped ends 74,76 aflixed by bracket members 78, 80 attached to the underside of thebase member 34 respectively. In conjunction there-with are shown curvedengagement members 82.

84 which are pivoted at 86, 88 to the underside of the apparatus basemember 34. It wili be understood that the valves 66, 68 are actuated bylateral motion of actuating members and the curved engagement members82;, 84 help translate this lateral motion into actuating motion for therespective valves.

Valve actuation is brought about by rollers 90, 92 carried by thecarriage plate 30. The roller 98 is located at the far end of plate 30from the cylinder 58 in position to actuate valve 66. Roller 92 islocated at the near end of plate 30 from cylinder 53 in position toactuate valve 68. The rollers 90, 92 are adapted to actuate theirrespectively associated valves only in response to motion of the plate30 toward cylinder 58. This is done by Spring loaded rocker arms. In thecase of roller 90, it is pivotally mounted on rocker arm 94 at 96 withthe rocker arm 94- being pivoted to plate 30 at 98. A tension spring 108is connected to rocker arm 94 at one end thereof and to plate 30 at 110.The spring 108 urges the rocker arm 94 into position against a stop lug102 which fits into a notch 104 in rocker arm 94. Thus when cylinder 58is actuated to draw piston 61 inwardly and with it the plate 30, roller90 comes into contact with member 82 of valve 66. Since the stop lug1.82 holds rocker arm 94 in that direction, roller 90 depresses andactuates valve 66. On the return stroke, when roller 90 contacts themember 82, the spring 108 yields, rocker arm 94 pivots, and roller 99passes valve 66 Without actuating it. The same thing happens with roller92 and valve 68. Roller 92 is pivotally mounted on rocker arm 112 at126* and 122, and rocker arm 112 is, in turn, pivotally mounted on plate30 at 114. A tension spring 124 serves to hold rocker arm in positionagainst a stop lug 128 mounted on plate 30. During the actuating strokeof cylinder 58 and piston 60, roller 92 actuates valve 68 and on thereturn stroke rocker arm 112 pivots away allowing roller 92 to passvalve 68 without actuating it.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the spray mechanism and associated controls. Atransverse cylindrical support member 130 is employed, held in place onthe top of the enclosure 10 by hearing mounts 132, 134 which leave thetransverse support member 130 free to rotate axially. A spray gun 136 issuspended from the transverse support member 130 by means of a clampbracket 138 fastened thereto and by means of another clamp support 140aflixed to the clamp bracket 138 and into which the spray gun 136 isclamped so that, during pivotal motion, the spray nozzle 142 subtends anarc whose center is the same as the axis of the transverse supportmember 138 in the plane of the spray nozzle 142. A trigger 144 of thespray gun 136 is engaged with a trigger bracket arm 146 which passesunder the spray gun 136 and pivots on a pin 1 18 which is attached tothe spray gun 136. Secured by a bolt 150 to the end of the triggerbracket arm 146 is an extension member 152 and cam follower 154 formedby a member perpendicular to the trigger bracket arm 146 and parallel tothe transverse support member 138. The cam follower 154 is adjusted totravel over a cam face 156 of a stationary cam member 158 as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2.

The stationary cam member 158 is formed to allow the transverse supportmember to pass through it and rotate freely, while the stationary cammember 158 is held in place by support brackets 161, 163, 165, bracketbeing afiixed to the sides of the enclosure 10. The cam face 156 isformed so that the cam follower 154 will be depressed in relation to thespray gun 136 while the spray gun 136' is rotated to pass over the solewhich is to be waxed. The depressing of the cam follower 154 causes thetrigger bracket arm 146 to raise up in relation to the spray gun 136 andengage the trigger 144. Thus by adjustment of the cam 158 and camfollower 154, the spray gun 136 will spray only during a portion of itsmovement.

The movement of the transverse support member 136 and thereby of thespray gun 136 is affected by the movement of a lever arm 168, one end ofwhich is aflixed to one end of the transverse support member 138 as seenin FIG. 1. The lever arm 166 is caused to move by a pneumatic cylinder162 which operates a piston 164 which is pivoted to the lover arm 160 at166. The pneumatic cylinder 162 is, in turn, pivoted to the side of theenclosure 10 at 168.

Also mounted on the side of the enclosure 10 is an adjustable stopmember 170 shown in FIG. 1. One end is constructed to fit on thetransverse support member 130 and is free to rotate thereon. The otherend is provided with a locking nut 172 which slides between guide plates174, 176, which are affixed to the side of the enclosure 10. Theadjustable stop member 170 has an angle bracket 178 and an associatedair valve 180, affixed to it at about mid-section. The air valve 180 istriggered by the lever arm 160 which contacts a trigger plate 182pivoted to member 170 at 184. The trigger plate 182 is prevented fromfalling out of position by a stop pin 185 mounted on the stop member170. Engagement of the trigger plate 182 causes it to move upwardlyagainst and thereby to actuate valve 180. The adjustable stop member 170and the associated air valve 180 is mounted in a spaced relationship tothe lever arm 160 such that when the piston 164 of the pneumaticcylinder 162 has been extended to the furthest desired point, the leverarm 160 will contact the trigger plate 182 and thereby trigger the airvalve 180. By means hereinafter to be described the flow of air in thepneumatic cylinder 162 is thereby reversed.

FIG. 3 shows the wax spray exhaust system which exhausts any wax spraywhich accumulatees in the spray chamber. A transverse bafile member 186is employed to reduce air currents caused by exhaust which would distortthe wax spray pattern. Any waste wax spray is exhausted through anopening formed in the rear wall of the enclosure 10 and through a stack188 Shown mounted on the side of the enclosure 10 in FIG. 1 are twovalve mechanisms 190, 192 of standard manufacture, capable of supplyingair to a pneumatic cylinder and controllable to start, stop or reversethe air flow. Valve mechanism 198 is associated with pneumatic cylinder162 which moves the lever arm 160 and consequently the spray gun 136;valve mechanism 192 is associated with the pneumatic cylinder 58 whichmoves the carriage plate 30 and consequently the shoe.

A third valve mechanism 194 is also mounted on the side of the enclosure10 and is of standard manufacture and controllable to start and stop aflow of air. This valve mechanism 194 is associated with the air jetdusting mechanism comprising the transverse tube 24 with open ings 26 inits under surface as shown in FIG. 3.

Also mounted on the side of the enclosure 10 is an air valve 196 and acurved engagement plate 198 which moves on a pivot member 200. The airvalve 196 is mounted in relation to the lever arm 160 so that when thepush rod 164 is fully withdrawn in the pneumatic cylinder 162 a rollerWheel 202 aflixed to the end of the lever arm 160 by a bracket 204 willengage the curved engagement plate 198 and'actuate the air valve 196,

FIG. 7 is a flow chart for the pneumatic system and FIG. 3 shows therelationship between the important operating elements. All the elementsare connected as hereinafter described by flexible air hose or rigid airpipe.

When a lasted shoe is put on the spindle member 40 in its startingposition fully withdrawn from the enclosure 10, and thereafter thespindle 40 is depressed, the protruding step 42 actuates the air valve56. The air valve 56 is connected to the valve mechanism 192 and thevalve mechanism 194. This action opens the valve mechanism 194 and airis caused to flow into the dusting chamber from the transverse tube 24and associated jet openings 26 to which the valve mechanism 194 isconnected. The air is supplied to the dusting chamber at full pressureand is not lubricated.

At the same time the air valve 56 actuates the valve mechanism 192 whichis connected to the pneumatic cylinder 58, the direction of flow is suchthat the piston 60 is withdrawn into the cylinder 58. This causes theshoe and last to travel into the enclosure 10. In its travel the shoepasses under the brush 12 which dislodges dust etc. on and near thesole. The shoe then passes under the jet openings 26 in the tube 24through which air is flowing. This air sweeps the dust off the shoe anddown through the dusting chamber into stack 28.

The shoe then passes into the spraying chamber, whereupon the rollerwheel 92 on carriage plate 30 actuates the air valve 68, shown in detailin FIG. 5.

The air valve 68 is connected to the valve mechanism 194 so that whenthe air valve 68 is actuated the air flow in the dusting chamber ceases.

When the shoe has reached the position it assumes during waxing, at theend of the stroke of piston 60, roller 90 mounted on the carriage plate30 actuates the air valve 66. Valve 66 is connected with the valvemechanism 190 and when actuated, causes air to flow into the pneumaticcylinder 162. As piston 164 is extended the associated lever arm 160 ismoved and thereby the spray gun 136 is pivoted forward. During thismotion the cam follower 154 engages the cam face 156 thereby depressingthe associated trigger 144. Thereupon the wax spray begins and continuesas the spray gun 136 arcs over the sole of the shoe.

When the spray gun 136 has covered the whole sole, the lever arm 160contacts the trigger plate 182 on the adjustable stop member 170 therebyactuating the air valve 180. The adjustable stop member 170 is adjustedsuch that the lever arm 160 will make such contact at the end of thespray gun 136s desired arc.

The air valve 180 is connected with the valve mechanism 190 so thatactuating the air valve 180 reverses the air flow in the pneumaticcylinder 162. Thereby the lever arm 160 and the associated spray gun 136are rearwardly. When the wax spray has reached the toe of the shoe, thecam follower 154 is disengaged from the cam face 156 and the sprayceases. At the same time the roller wheel 202 associated with the leverarm 160 makes contact with the engagement member 198 thereby actuatingthe air valve 196.

The air valve 196 is connected with the valve mechanism 192 wherebyactuation of the air valve 196 causes the thrust of pneumatic cylinder58 to be reversed thereby withdrawing the shoe from the waxing chamber.

Cylinder 22 is connected into the exhaust line of the valve mechanism192 so that, as the shoe is transported out of the waxing chamber, thepneumatic cylinder 22 is actuated and the brush 12 thereby lifted toclear the newly waxed shoe. When the shoe is fully removed from theenclosure 10, the carriage plate 30 is in position to start a new cycle.

FIG. 1 shows two air valves 206, 208 mounted flush with the front of theenclosure by means of a rightangle bracket 210. The air valve 206 isconnected into the air line from the air valve 196 to the valvemechanism 192 and thereby provides a manual means to reverse andwithdraw the shoe in mid-cycle. The air valve 208 is connected into theair line from the air valve 68 to the valve mechanism 194 and therebyprovides a manual means for turning off the air in the dusting chamber.The two air valves 206, 208, therefore, provide an emergency stopfunction whereby the dusting air may be turned off and shoe withdrawn asdesired at any time.

It is our intention to cover all changes and modifications of theexample of the invention herein chosen for purposes of disclosure whichdo not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of ourinvention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States is:

1. Apparatus for applying a sprayable coating substance to a shoecomprising a base, a coating applying station on said base, a shoesupport on said base, means for transporting said shoe support acrosssaid base from a starting station to said coating applying station,means including a shield on said base for enclosing said coatingapplying station, a spray gun at said coating applying station pivotallymounted on said base to swing through an are a portion of which isintercepted by said shoe when said shoe is in position at said coatingapplying station, means actuated by the arrival of said shoe at saidcoating applying station for swinging said gun through said are at auniform rate, means for spraying said coating on said shoe from said gunonly during the portion of said pivotal motion when said gun is pointedat said shoe.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further characterized by meansoperatively associated with said shoe support for actuating saidtransporting means automatically in response to placing said shoe onsaid shoe support at said starting station and depressing the same.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 further characterized by means forreturning said shoe support to said starting station actuated by motionof said spray gun at the end of its stroke.

4. Apparatus for dusting and applying wax to a shoe sole comprising abase, a dusting station and a wax applying station on said base, shoesupporting means on said base, means for transporting said shoesupporting means from a starting station across said base through saiddusting station to said wax applying station, means actuated by thearrival of said shoe at said dusting station from said starting stationfor brushing said shoe, further means actuated by the arrival of saidshoe at said dusting station for directing a blast of air at the sole ofsaid shoe, a wax spray gun at said wax applying station pivotallymounted on said base to swing through an arc, a portion of which isintercepted by the sole of said shoe at said Wax applying station, meansactuated by the arrival of said shoe at said wax applying station forpivoting said gun at a uniform rate through said arc and back again, andmeans for spraying wax on said sole only during the portion of saidpivotal motion when said gun is pointed at the sole of said shoe.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 further characterized by meansoperatively associated with said shoe support for actuating saidtransporting means automatically in response to placing said shoe onsaid shoe support at said starting station and depressing the same.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 4 further characterized by means forreturning said shoe support to said starting station actuated by motionof said spray gun at the end of its stroke.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,275,221 Cavanagh Aug. 13, 1918

